

1872.] THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. 861 



The most noticeable additions during the mouth of October were 

 as follows : — 



1. A Two-toed Sloth from Panama, purchased October 1st. On 

 September 29th, 1869, we obtained a specimen of the same animal, 

 which I referred somewhat doubtfully to Cholopus hoffmanni, Peters 

 (see P. Z. S. 1869, p. 602). I am now able to state positively that 

 the Two-toed Sloth of Panama is Ch. hoffmanni, having had an op- 

 portunity of examining the skeleton of the latter individual, which 

 died on the 24th of December 1870, and of ascertaining that the 

 cervical vertebrae are only six in number, as is always the case in 

 this species. 



As Hoffmann's Sloth is little known, the drawing now exhibited 

 (Plate LXXII. fig. I), in which the singular green colour of the 

 head and nape is well shown, will be of interest. The second figure 

 (PI. LXXII. fig. 2) represents an example of the Common Two-toed 

 Sloth {Cholopus didactylus) now living in the Gardens. It was 

 presented to us January ] 1, 1871, by Capt. J. G. Hamlyn, and was 

 stated to have been brought from Demerara. 



2. An example of a large Apteryx, received in exchange October 

 10th. This bird appears to be really distinct from, although nearly 

 allied to, the Apteryx mantelli, differing in its larger size, white 

 bill and claws, and much softer feathers. Mr. Buller tells me 

 this is the large species of the southern island of New Zealand, 

 and should bear the name australis ; and I must therefore ask leave 

 to recant my lately expressed opinion on this subject (P. Z. S. 1871, 

 p. 496), that Apteryx australis was not distinguishable from A. 

 mantelli. We have now the following series of these three species 

 of Apteryx living in the Society's Gardens : — 



(1) Apteryx australis. Received in exchange, Oct. 10, 1872. 



(2) A. mantelli. Presented by A. Lafone, Esq., May 20, 1871. 



(3) A. mantelli. Purchased, April 14, 1871. 



(4) A. owenni. Purchased, April 14, 1871. 



(5) A. owenni. Presented by the Acclimatization Society of 

 Otago, July 28, 1867. 



(6) A. owenni. Received in exchange, Oct. 10, 1872. 



3. A Mortier's Waterhen {Tribonyx mortieri, Du Bus), purchased 

 October 21st of Mr. Bills, by whom it was brought from Otago, New 

 Zealand. Mr. Bills states that this bird was certainly captured in 

 the interior of the province — which is an interesting fact, as no such 

 bird had been previously known to occur in New Zealand. 



The present specimen exactly resembles that of the same bird 

 previously received by the Society in 1867*, presenting the distinct 

 spots on the wing-coverts whereby T. mortieri may be distinguished 

 from its ally, Tr. gouldi, Sclater (Ann. N. H. ser. 3, vol. xx. 

 p. 122). It is therefore probable that New Zealand may be the 

 correct habitat of Tr. mortieri, and Tasmania that of Tr. gouldi. 



4. A Schlegel's Civet, Viverricula schlegeli, Pollen (Schl. et Pollen, 

 Recherches, pi. x.), from Johannah, Comoro Islands, presented 



* See Kev. Cat. Vert. p. 308, and P. Z. S. 1867, p. 816. 



